Family history. Having a family
history of bone disease may increase your risk.

Having low bone mass (osteopenia)
also puts you at a greater risk for osteoporosis.

Low estrogen is one of the main causes of bone loss in women during and after menopause. Women may lose up to 20% of their bone mass in the 5 to 7 years after menopause.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

People with osteoporosis may not
have any symptoms. Some may have pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their
back. Sometimes a collapsed vertebra may cause severe pain, decrease in height, or
spinal deformity.

The symptoms of osteoporosis may
look like other bone disorders or health problems. Always talk with your healthcare
provider for a diagnosis.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will
review your personal and family health history and do a physical exam. Other tests
include:

Bone density test (bone densitometry). This test measures
the mass of bone and its volume to find the risk of getting osteoporosis.

Blood tests. These tests measure
calcium and potassium levels.

FRAX score. This is a score given to
estimate the risk of a fracture within 10 years. The score uses the results of a bone
density test as well as other things.

X-rays. This test uses energy beams
to make images of tissues, bones, and organs on film.

Women are encouraged to:

Review lifestyle practices with their
healthcare provider regularly.

Have their personal risk for falls checked at least once a year after menopause.

Have their height and weight checked yearly.

Get checked for the development of a rounded humped in the spine and back pain (kyphosis).

How is osteoporosis treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. It
will also depend on how severe the condition is.

The goals of managing osteoporosis
are to:

Decrease pain

Prevent fractures

Minimize further bone loss

Some of the ways to treat
osteoporosis are also ways to prevent it. They include:

Staying at a healthy body weight

Doing more walking and other
weight-bearing exercises

Limiting caffeine and alcohol

Stopping smoking

Getting enough calcium and vitamin D
through diet and supplements

Installing hand railings, or assistive
devices in the bathroom or shower to prevent falls

Asking your healthcare provider about
medicines that may help

These medicines help maintain bone
health in women with osteoporosis at menopause:

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) and
hormone replacement therapy (HRT). ERT reduces bone loss, increases bone
density, and reduces the risk for hip and spinal fractures in postmenopausal women.
But talk with your healthcare provider before taking them. Research found several
important health risks linked to this therapy. For many women, the risks of ERT
outweigh the benefits.

Parathyroid hormone. This medicine is
a form of parathyroid hormone. It helps form bone.

Monoclonal antibody. This medicine is
given by shot (injection) under the skin. It’s approved for women with osteoporosis
at high risk for fractures. It’s also used for women who are being treated with
cancer medicines that can weaken bones.

Living with osteoporosis

An osteoporosis rehab program can be vital to a full recovery. It can help you obtain the best possible bone health and quality of life. The focus of rehab is to decrease pain, help prevent fractures, and minimize further bone loss.

To help reach these goals, programs
may include:

Exercise programs and conditioning to increase weight-bearing and physical fitness

Methods to manage your pain

Nutritional counseling to improve how
much calcium and vitamin D you get and to limit caffeine and alcohol

Assistive devices to make you safer at
home

Education, especially on ways to
prevent falls

These rehab programs can be done as
an outpatient or inpatient. Many skilled people are part of the team. They include:

Dietitian

Internist

Occupational therapist

Orthopedist/orthopedic surgeon

Physiatrist

Physical therapist

Psychologist/psychiatrist

Recreational therapist

Rehabilitation nurse

Social worker

Vocational therapist

Key points about osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This leaves the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists.

Women are 4 times more likely to get
osteoporosis than men because of a decrease in estrogen after menopause.

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